Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1
Though addressing consequences is good (it’s something Breaking Bad,
for instance, does exceptionally well – no death is ever clean, no one
ever gets away with it, every ghost haunts), the particular way things
were addressed this week was, well, extremely distressing. Sons of
Anarchy has taken us to dark places before — rape, murder, child
kidnapping, suicide, more murder, extreme violence against women — but
never has it gone so far as it did in "Sovereign.” And just because it
can go there though doesn’t it mean it should. I had been warned before
this episode that it was "disturbing,” a

nd so when I saw LeRoy’s
dismembered body unexpectedly I thought, well, that’s gross but it is
what it is. Next came the sudden murder of Darnell, who seemed like an
amiable guy, which is probably Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1
exactly why he was offed by Pope’s henchman. But then there was Dawn.
First the girl was put into the cesspit of blood and body parts, as if
that wasn’t traumatizing enough to watch. Tig thinks she’s dead, and so
too do we … until she stirs. Right there, had Dawn been dead it would
have been tragic but somehow we maybe could have gotten through it.
Maybe. But wait … nope, Pope’s has his men pour gasoline into the pit
and set it on fire where Dawn doesn’t die quickly or quietly, of
course. She agonizingly screams repeatedly for her Daddy to help her.
Please give me a moment while I pop some anxiety meds, or go for a
quick walk where I can vomit peacefully from stress. Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1
ron-perlman-sons-of-anarchyWe didn’t really know Dawn, but did we need
to? The situation was unbelievably horrific, and Tig’s tortured cries
during and after the event were difficult to get through.

Pope invoked
a kind of Hammurabi’s Law, and we came to feel just how much pain he
probably felt at his own daughter’s death by Tig’s hand. Though Tig
pulled the proverbial trigger, it was set off because of Clay,
something that has already caused a riff between them. Tig blames Clay
for what happened, at least in part, and one wonders what kind of
insane retaliation he might engage in next … and whether Clay will feel
the brunt of it. So much happened in "Sovereign,” some of it I’ll
address below in the Musings, but the main thrust seems to still
revolve around Clay and Jax being at odds, and the club being on shaky
ground because of recent revelations (Clay admitting to killing Piney,
which Jax was wise to question his intentions on). Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1

Notice too how a nervous Juice tells Clay how coming clean is a great
thing, and how he automatically supports him? Might Juice’s treachery
come to light as well this season? That could be devastating to watch,
too. I know we’re dealing with big biker boys, but some of them have
very gentle hearts (and an amazing sense of humor). It’s something that
elevates the show, but is difficult to reconcile with moments like
Dawn’s death. The show is often darkly comic, but it would be a shame
for it to get so dark it snuffs out the light. Though addressing
consequences is good (it’s something Breaking Bad, for instance, does
exceptionally well – no death is ever clean, no one ever gets away with
it, every ghost haunts), the particular way things were addressed this
week was, well, extremely distressing. Sons of Anarchy has taken us to
dark places before — rape, murder, child kidnapping, suicide, more
murder, extreme Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1
violence against women — but never has it gone so far as it did in
"Sovereign.” And just because it can go there though doesn’t it mean it
should. I had been warned before this episode that it was "disturbing,”
and so

when I saw LeRoy’s dismembered body unexpectedly I thought,
well, that’s gross but it is what it is. Next came the sudden murder of
Darnell, who seemed like an amiable guy, which is probably exactly why
he was offed by Pope’s henchman. But then there was Dawn. First the
girl was put into the cesspit of blood and body parts, as if that
wasn’t traumatizing enough to watch. Tig thinks she’s dead, and so too
do we … until she stirs. Right there, had Dawn been dead it would have
been tragic but somehow we maybe could have gotten through it. Maybe.
But wait … nope, Pope’s has his men pour gasoline into the pit and Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Episode 1
set it on fire where Dawn doesn’t die quickly or quietly, of course.
She agonizingly screams repeatedly for her Daddy to help her. Please
give me a moment while I pop some anxiety meds, or go for a quick walk
where I can vomit peacefully from stress.